— U-Um… — Samael averted his gaze, slightly embarrassed.
Elizabeth's earlier remark still echoed in his mind more than he would have liked.
— Let's… check the Echo I obtained — he said, a bit too quickly, clearly trying to change the subject.
— Hm? — Elizabeth tilted her head. — What's wrong?
Samael frowned as he sensed something strange within himself.
— If I summon the Echo now… I'll be almost completely out of essence — he said, somewhat frustrated. — I was planning to make some kind of prosthetic for my arm.
He glanced at the empty space on the left side of his body.
The remaining essence wouldn't be enough for both.
Samael took a deep breath.
There was no perfect choice.
Only the least bad one.
— I'll summon the Echo — he decided.
Elizabeth looked at him for a moment.
— Are you sure?
— I am — he replied. — The Echo is stronger than I am right now.
Strangely enough, he felt… far too comfortable with only one arm. As if the loss wasn't entirely new. The sensation bothered him, but there was no time to analyze it.
Samael activated the bond.
The air trembled.
Shadows twisted, and the cold intensified for an instant before erupting outward.
Then—
She appeared.
A colossal serpent, its white and silvery scales gleaming, rose above the hill. Nearly fifteen meters long, its body reflected the dim light like polished ice, while its cold eyes observed the world with predatory calm.
Majestic.
Imposing.
Terrifying… and beautiful.
Despite being a creature of the Nightmare, there was something almost hypnotic about her.
Samael felt a firm bond take hold.
Deep.
Reassuring.
— It's… comforting to know she's on our side — he murmured.
Elizabeth nodded slowly.
— True. She gives off a sense of protection.
The serpent shifted slightly, instinctively positioning herself in front of them, like a silent guardian.
— Then let's head to the center — Elizabeth said.
Samael hesitated.
— And that thing at the center? — he asked. The apprehension in his voice was impossible to hide.
Even from afar, the presence of that entity made his skin crawl.
— We'll take advantage of the fact that multiple creatures are attacking it — Elizabeth explained. — We use the chaos to get close and sneak into the citadel's portal.
— That… — Samael clenched his teeth. — A single hit from that thing could end us.
Elizabeth looked at him.
— Are you coming or not?
Her tone wasn't accusatory.
It was practical.
Samael closed his eyes briefly.
Too many things were pressing against his chest.
Newly awakened memories.
Loss.
Emptiness.
If he stayed alone… all of it would explode.
For some reason, his traumas — except for his social phobia — didn't overflow when he was with others. But the mere idea of being alone on that island, after everything he had lived through and remembered, sent a chill down his spine.
— I'm coming — he said.
Elizabeth nodded, satisfied.
The serpent raised her head, releasing a low hiss — almost reverent.
— Here — Samael said, extending his hand toward Elizabeth.
She hesitated for just an instant before taking it.
The moment their hands met, a voice echoed in Elizabeth's mind.
[Congratulations. You have gained ownership of a Memory.]
Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly.
— What a strange Memory… — she murmured.
She felt the spiritual object stabilize within her, though its function remained unclear.
— Whatever it is, it must be worth a lot of money — she added thoughtfully. — I've never heard of a Memory with this kind of activation. It must be extremely rare.
Elizabeth didn't consider herself greedy, but she didn't disdain money either. In that world, rarity meant power — or survival.
— Probably — Samael replied simply.
Elizabeth summoned her armor.
Blades of silvery light condensed around her body, forming a refined suit of plate armor that fit her slender, symmetrical frame perfectly. The metal seemed almost alive, molding itself to every curve with near-artistic precision.
She was already beautiful.
With that armor, she became breathtaking.
— It's good armor — she commented, examining herself.
— I think so too — Samael replied.
Then he summoned his own.
The silvery armor formed around him in the same way, fitting his equally slender body with perfect precision. Even with one arm missing, the armor didn't seem incomplete — on the contrary, there was something strangely harmonious about it.
His body was just as symmetrical as Elizabeth's.
And even mutilated, he didn't fall behind her in terms of beauty.
Of course, compared to high-ranking Awakened — Masters or above — both of them would pale in comparison. But among Sleepers, they stood out clearly.
That was when Samael felt something strange.
A gentle warmth.
Mild.
Constant.
He frowned slightly.
It didn't come from the environment.
Nor from the armor.
It came from within.
Directly… from his soul.
— Is this the connection? — he thought.
In a way, it reflected Elizabeth's mental state.
The warmth of a good person — not intense, but mild. Not burning, but comforting. Her condition prevented her from fully feeling certain emotions, and that was reflected in the spiritual temperature she radiated.
Even so, it was an extremely pleasant sensation.
Addictive, even.
Like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket on a cold day.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth felt something different.
A strange cold.
Alien.
It came from Samael.
It wasn't uncomfortable… just unusual. A deep, silent cold. Yet the more she focused on it, the more she realized that beneath it, there was a hidden warmth.
Fragile.
Contained.
Dangerous.
Now, both of them wore matching silvery armor.
Two presences side by side.
Bound by something neither of them fully understood.
They climbed onto the serpent's body, which began to move, gliding as if swimming across the frozen terrain toward the center of the island.
The creature advanced in absolute silence.
Atop her, two figures clad in silvery armor stood side by side — like two freshly forged blades.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The cutting wind swept past them, and the distant sounds of battle at the island's center echoed like a constant omen. Samael remained restless. His chest felt too tight, his mind too alert.
Something was going to happen.
He could feel it.
To distract himself, he leaned down slightly and touched the serpent's cold scales.
— Hm… — he murmured. — What would be a good name for you?
His voice was low, almost a whisper.
Elizabeth turned her face toward him.
— Are you naming her?
— Yeah… but I have no idea what to choose — Samael replied plainly.
Elizabeth thought for a few seconds.
— I'm not good with names either.
A brief silence followed, broken only by the serpent's soft hiss.
— Then… — she continued — why don't you combine the beginnings of our names? Since we both defeated her together.
Samael blinked.
— E-li… sa… — he murmured. — Elisa?
Elizabeth nodded.
— Yes. It's a good name.
— It is — Samael agreed.
He leaned forward slightly.
— Elisa… I hope for good cooperation — he said seriously.
The serpent continued forward.
Without any reaction.
— …Cold — Samael commented.
— You're just too sensitive. I already told you — Elizabeth replied flatly.
Samael sighed.
— I think it was a terrible idea to include part of your name. The personality turned out similar.
— Better mine than yours — Elizabeth shot back impassively.
Samael fell silent for a moment.
Then let out a resigned sigh.
— So cruel…
Elizabeth didn't respond.
The serpent moved on, carrying them toward the heart of the island — and the danger that awaited them.